Autumn in Korea
I know I haven’t been the most diligent and prolific blogger of late, either here or in my lifestyle blog. And before anything else, thank you to all my dear friends and readers who have asked me when I will update my blogs—makes me glad that there are actually people like you reading and supporting this creative endeavor. Believe me, I have missed blogging too. But I do have the perfect excuse (or so I think!) and that is, not unexpectedly, travel. After my travel tales already documented in this blog, I have been to Samar, experienced summer in Korea, months later visited Korea again for autumn, went to Baguio, then recently went to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok in one trip. Then finally, went back to Samar again.
As you may imagine, it has been nothing short of crazy. Between planning for the trips, going on the trips themselves, then documenting the trip via Instagram or in cameras for future postings on Facebook (uck!) or on this blog, then getting back to work (which has been quite busier than usual) and to life (we travel to “escape” life then find ourselves thrown back in when we come back!), then doing the same cycle all over again for the next trip. Plus there’s the nagging need to blog about all those trips! And yet now, here I am again, finding myself yet with another trip to plan. Isn’t that crazy? There are some people who actually have asked me whether I get tired of all the traveling that I’ve been doing. Looking at the list of places I’ve been to, it does seem tiring. But you know what, while you’re there and doing it and engaged in even just one step of the process, I find that it is actually, well, exhilarating. And, as if receiving an answer from the Universe to my unasked question—why does it always feel so good knowing that I’m going on another trip, that I’m getting away and in fact, actually escaping?— the answer can be actually be quantified and has already been mulled over by intellectuals. Yes, people who are trained to think and research better than you and me! As most of my close friends know about me, one of my favorite phrases and introduction to my statements is “Studies show…”, because I put great weight and faith on studies that have been done by experts and critiqued by the scientific community, haha.
The studies that I’m talking about are those linking vacations and happiness. Nothing amazes me more than when studies are done on happiness. And when the study is done on both happiness AND travel, my goodnesss, I am positively drooling. I’ve recently discovered this New York Times article, How Vacations Affect Your Happiness about a 2010 study done in the Netherlands (don’t you think the Dutch always seem to have the keys to happiness?) concluding that the largest boost in happiness comes from the simple act of planning a vacation. In fact, it seems that we derive more happiness from planning our vacations, compared to actually going on them, while post-vacation rarely adds to our happiness unless we were very relaxed in that vacation (read the article and find a possible explanation why we’re not happy when we go back to work, as if we needed more affirmation). I was surprised to learn that the happiness we derive from anticipating a coming vacation can actually last up to 8 weeks, while increased happiness after a vacation can only last up to 2 weeks!
I completely agree! And now I have the perfect study to support my need to plan the itinerary for my trips and discuss details with travelmates 🙂 It’s all about making the most out of vacation anticipation and therefore, getting a happiness boost out of traveling, and even from waiting to go on vacation. I plan my trips like I plan my outfits—I need to be detailed and methodical, or else I will get stressed. It helps to get the itinerary off your mind even before you leave for your trip. Also, that means you also get the most out of your vacation because you’re not worrying about where to go, what to do, or how much things will cost. There are trips that need no planning or itineraries (like relaxing on the beach or going home to my hometown in Samar) but you’d know the trips that need the planning and the itinerary-making, and you’d know when you better fly off prepared.
This other New York Times article tells us that longer vacations aren’t necessarily better and if you don’t doubt “the New York Times’ effect on man”, then you would do well to take their advice when it comes to your travel plans: take more trips this year instead of just one long vacation. By breaking up your trips into short but numerous trips, then you will most likely increase your happiness instead of being happy from just one trip. Unless perhaps, you’re going on a long trip and you will do nothing but relax, which let’s admit it, is not very usual when people actually go on vacation (there are times when I think that if I want to relax, then I’ll just couch around at home!).
The article actually makes sense in that when you have more time to plan your vacation, the longer time you’ll have to anticipate it, then of course, the longer time you have to anticipate your trip means more time to derive happiness from it. So, booking your trips way in advance doesn’t just make sense in terms of getting better deals on airfare and accommodation—it can also make you happier too! Used to be that I book trips way in advance just to save on money but now, my happiness is the perfect reason to do it too. Who said budget, planned travel doesn’t make you happier than luxury, spontaneous travel?! Haha.
For me it’s not just about the quantity of my holidays but actually being to able to cherish and appreciate each one. And I think I’m able to do that by taking time out to plan for each trip: planning detailed itineraries and making enough room in the itinerary (and in my own disposition) for serendipity to happen. And of course, being in the moment when traveling, as well as going beyond the usual tourist traps to experience a place more. That’s why for my past few trips, my minimum vacation days was 5, instead of the usual 3 days 2 nights. I’m also grateful to be able to work where I can break up my leave days and have a boss who approves leave applications with no questions asked, which means I can take short but multiple trips when I want to. As opposed to being forced to go on vacation leave just once every year. Just when I thought that I’ve had way too many trips than I can handle, it’s nice to know that I’m on the right track when it comes to traveling and my happiness.
Aside from planning holidays that I’m actually going to take, I also like to pretend that I’m planning for trips by researching on my dream destinations and sometimes, actually already checking airfares and hotels, so that I already know when’s the best time to go and how much it will cost me. For me, this “virtual” process of planning my vacation is also anticipating and a form of visualizing and visualizing that trip is one step closer to make it reality. I wonder if the conclusions of the study will also apply to my pastime, but well, it does make me happy!
At the same time, while anticipating a vacation makes people happier than actually going on vacation,does that mean we don’t need the actual vacation itself? Somehow, I don’t think so, since part of the happiness we get from planning and anticipating a trip is because of really going on that trip, and not just fooling ourselves. I pretend-plan my dream vacations because one day, I plan to make them happen too!
Another thing that makes me happy about my travels is remembering them. That’s why I like to blog in detail about where I went (even coming up with travel guides and sharing with you my travel itineraries), what I ate, even what I wore. It’s as if by dwelling on my memories of my travels by blogging about them here gives me another chance to cherish where I’ve been. That’s why I blog about trips even if they happened years ago. Ah, but nostalgia is something else and deserves another post.
Back in 2006, I wrote an article about how anticipation is actually better than reality because anticipation is pure potential and possibility, while reality at times can be filled with frustration. I wrote then, “As if actually experiencing something lessens the enjoyment of the experience itself. Our existence is essentially a state of ‘the perpetual not-yet’ and thus, any experience is anticlimactic, each experience an own taste of trauma.”
Perhaps I was on to something when I waxed that philosophical years ago but truly, that insight is true in life as it is in travel.
Take more trips, be happier. Isn’t that such a nice prescription for life?
So the way to do it is anticipation. Now excuse me while I plan the itinerary for a trip that will happen still so many months from now.
Cheers!
P.S. The picture above was taken on holiday in Nami Island in Korea via my Instagram. In the meantime that I’m traveling and anticipating between posts, hope you follow me over there.
I love this line: “the longer time you have to anticipate your trip means more time to derive happiness from it.”
This is so true! But aside from travel, I also experience this when planning to buy really expensive gadgets/items. As the song goes, I work hard for my money. And as such, when buying big ticket items, medyo sigurista ako. So I do research and I plan extensively — comparing specs, prices, etc.
Don’t get me wrong. I do enjoy my stuff once I buy them, but I also derive happiness from planning on purchasing them too. =)
I’m like you when it comes to gadgets as well! I think we’re the kind of buyer who’s the opposite of impulse buyer–as in we need to research and think about our purchases in advance before we commit. I am a bit of an impulse buyer myself on certain things, but when it comes to gadgets and travel, I make sure I research and compare and when I buy, I know it’s the best decision I can make given the facts available to me 🙂
The place is too beautiful. I liked it
Wow..such a nice place! looks so romantic. great shot anyway. 🙂
that study is one good excuse to spend my hard earned money on a trip hahahah!more travels for us
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